ZnO/curcumin nanobio-complex loaded bioactive multifunctional gelatin-PCL membranes for accelerated wound healing...

Activation of early angiogenesis, establishment of antimicrobial protection, and maintenance of an optimal moist microenvironment are the crucial factors for accelerated and scar-free wound healing. To achieve this, we synthesized ZnO/curcumin nanobio-complex and loaded different contents (0 %, 0.1 %, 0.5 %, 1 %, 5 % and 10 %) into gelatin /PCL (Polycaprolactone) electrospun membranes (GP, GP/NC0.1, GP/NC0.5, GP/NC1, GP/NC5 and GP/NC10, respectively). The membranes exhibited reasonable degradation, excellent hydrophilicity, water vapour exchangeability, chemical stability, swelling behavior, along with good mechanical strength and sustained drug release. GP/NC0.1, GP/NC0.5, and GP/NC1 exhibited biocompatibility, progressive cell proliferation and migration over time, as well as a significant in vitro angiogenesis effect. In addition to antibacterial and antioxidant properties, the GP/NC1 membrane demonstrated superior in vivo wound regeneration, characterized by the thickest neoepidermal formation compared to the GP/NC0.5 and GP groups. Subsequent immunohistochemical staining results demonstrated excellent angiogenesis, characterized by the upregulation of angiogenesis markers CD34, VEGF (Vascular endothelial growth factor) and endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase (eNOS). Therefore, it is proposed that the GP/NC1 membrane could serve as a promising scaffold for accelerated wound healing.